Triton's Bay
by BillaB
Summary: Adopted from Kellygirl46. Sequel to "Breaking the Rules". Jay and Lonnie went their separate ways for the last 5 years. During that time, Lonnie struggled with a secret that can change both of their lives. When tragedy strikes, Lonnie calls on the one person she used to be able to always count on. Jay/Lonnie, Carlos/Jane/, OC/Ally
1. Late Night Phone Calls

**Thank you to Kellygirl46 for letting me take over her stories. Unfortunately, she is unable to continue writing fanfiction due to health issues. I will be reposting and continuing with as many of her stories as possible. I will make some changes when re-posting, but I will do my best to be true to the original stories. I figured that "Triton's Bay" would be the best place to start since it was still in progress. Let me know if there are any specific stories of Kelly's that you would like to be reposted, and I will do my best to put them up.**

 **I will also be reposting and continuing with "Diamond in the Rough" and "Fire and Fury". Let me know if you have any ideas for plot twists or if you would like to submit any OCs (I love receiving DMs).**

 **The credit belongs to Disney and Kellygirl46.**

 **This story is rated M for swearing, violence, sexual implications, and possible traumatic memories (if that happens, I will put up a warning and try to downplay it).**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1

 **8 Years Ago**

She waited alone in the darkness of the driveway. What was she going to say? What would he say? Was she too late? Her thoughts rolled over and over in her head. She looked up and saw Sian come back out in his Batman costume. She smiled at him and sighed as she walked over to his car.

"Thank you for doing this. I think the hardest part was just being here at the castle. Every memory I have of Jay is here, you know. I just see him everywhere, even at the library." Lonnie took a breath and waited for him to open the car. "I just need to tell him how I feel. Then we'll deal with everything else, right?"

Lonnie turned and looked at Sian. She didn't understand why he was just standing there and not unlocking the door. She frowned at him and took a step closer to him. "Sian? I need to find him. I need to tell him how I feel."

"You just did," Jay said as he pulled the mask off his face. Lonnie felt a weight lift from her shoulders. A smile slowly crept across her face as she muffled a giggle with her hands. She ran into Jay's arms and wrapped herself around him, kissing him with everything she had. Jay smiled as he rested his forehead against Lonnie's.

"I thought you were leaving today?" Lonnie asked, running her fingers over his cheeks.

'"Yeah, I was going to, but I needed to see you one last time. Then, Sian came up and told me that I couldn't leave you like this." Jay whispered as he ran his thumbs over Lonnie's jawline.

Lonnie smiled and saw Sian standing behind them as their friends joined them one by one.

"What about Triton's Bay?" Lonnie whispered softly.

Jay smirked softly as he shrugged his shoulders and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't wanna talk about that right now. I wanna know, what it was you wanted to tell me?"

Lonnie sighed and tried to get her nerve up. "Standing here, in front of…" glancing over Jay's shoulder, Lonnie could see that her brother and all of their friends were watching them. "Everyone… I'm telling you that I love you."

Jay relaxed and leaned closer to her. "And I love you."

 **Present**

The black and white car waited outside with its lights flashing, but no siren, as the officers left the front door. It was one of the worst parts of the job, but somebody has to do it. Lonnie just wished it wasn't her door they were at.

"I'm sorry ma'am. If we find out anything else, we'll notify you immediately." Those words repeated in her head. "If you hear from your brother, please have him call us."

Lonnie quietly nodded and thanked the officers as they left and she locked the door. Lonnie slumped down in the chair, her chest heaving as she tried to process what she had just been told. The glass she was holding dropped to the floor, shattering at her bare feet. She looked around the empty room. Photos of everyone that was important to her were lined on the mantle. She was losing each of them, one by one.

They said it wasn't an accident. They found evidence that the car had somehow been tampered with. Lonnie had to wonder who on earth could have done this. They had been the heroes of China. They protected their people. They fought for what was right, and now, they ended up like this. Lonnie stared blankly at the family photo in the middle of the mantle. All five of them with stupid smiles on their faces. It was taken the last time Lonnie saw them, just a few weeks ago. The picture on the end was the one that now caught her attention. She remembered that moment clearly. They rode the motorcycle for hours, just to get away from their hectic lives. Lonnie took the selfie of the two of them the moment they stopped and removed their helmets. Jay was grinning wildly at the camera as Lonnie planted a kiss on his cheek. This photo was tucked behind the others so she didn't have to see it every day. It was taken back when they were happy. Before he broke her heart.

It had been five long years since she last heard Jay's voice. Five long years since he held her and told her he would always be there if she needed him. Lonnie looked at the picture of them on the motorcycle and bit back a sob. She had tried to handle his departure with her head held high. Jay never knew how much it killed her when he told Lonnie he was leaving. He promised to come back for her, but he never did.

Jay had been asked by Ben to return to Auradon and work as a drill sergeant for the army he was building. Bringing more children over from the Isle was a good thing, but it also brought up some concerns for national security. Some of the villains still held grudges and might try to seek revenge through their children. Building a standing army addressed these concerns. This job meant a lot to Jay, and Lonnie refused to be the reason he walked away from it. It was Triton's Bay University all over again, only this time there was no third party trying to save them.

Loving each other had never been an issue. They found jobs and an apartment and struggled through school. Jay struggled more. The stress of juggling schoolwork, a menial job, and social life was a lot, but Jay did it for her. He wanted to give Lonnie the world and so much more, but he was still and Isle kid back then, and his pride took a lot of hard hits at Triton's Bay. Lonnie saw it and tried to reassure Jay that he didn't have to do any of it for her, but Jay's pride stood in his way.

When an offer came up for a well-paying job he was sure to enjoy and excel at, Jay took it without hesitation. He wanted Lonnie to come with him, but Lonnie was doing much better than he was in Triton's Bay. She was studying to become a teacher and was doing very well in school. She had a job which wasn't her passion, but it paid the bills with some money left over. Jay told her he'd go get situated as soon as possible, and then they could be together again. That day never came. Lonnie knew Jay didn't believe he could compete. No amount of reassurance from Lonnie could convince him otherwise. In the end, she lost him to Ben's offer.

The princes that were constantly surrounding the otherwise happy couple paid no mind to Jay and constantly tried for Lonnie's attention. The calls, despite Lonnie telling them to leave her alone, and the flowers and gifts, which they knew Jay couldn't afford and which Lonnie was always returning or donating, were annoying and were a knife in Jay's heart. Those were painful things for Jay to see. Jay always told Lonnie that she deserved the best, but he couldn't give her the best. What Jay didn't understand was that Lonnie never wanted the flowers or gifts. She only ever wanted him.

She had been alone in Triton's Bay for the last five years. The bed they had once shared now constantly felt cold and empty. She didn't date. She kept to herself and rejected all of the men who wanted her. Her heart would always belong to Jay, even if he didn't want it.

Lonnie went into a state of shock when she got the knock on her door late at night and heard about the progression in the case. Her parents were in a car accident on Thursday evening. Her father died upon impact and her mother went missing. This, she already knew and was struggling to accept. What was more upsetting was the thought that the 'accident' wasn't an accident after all. She and the police had tried to reach Sian several times, but were unsuccessful. Lonnie sat there; scared, alone, and with Jay's promises to her repeating in her head; that he would always be there when she needed him.

Her breathing was ragged and out of control. Her life just got turned upside down. What was she going to do now? Lonnie ran her fingers through her long, dark hair and looked around the dark apartment. She was alone. For the first time in her life, she had more than she could handle on her own, but no family to lean on. She could feel her world spinning out of control. She has too much at stake now to lose what little control she does have. Lonnie knew exactly what she had to do.

Lonnie shuffled over to the small table on the other side of the living room and grabbed her phone to call the one person she had been able to count on for support so many years ago. Lonnie had never called him in the five years since he left. She hesitated before she dialled the number. What if he had moved on? Would he even remember her? She struggled to maintain enough composure to speak. She had cried so much in the last hour by herself in the dimly lit room, she didn't know if she could handle another round of tears.

Lonnie took a long, shaky breath and bit back the tears. 'Life sucks,' she thought as she pressed the buttons. She sat back down and waited with tears in her eyes, hoping he would answer the phone. She hoped that even after all this time, he meant what he said all those years ago and would still be there for her. She had no one else to turn to.

Jay nearly jumped out of his skin when the most obnoxious ringtone blared through the dead silence of his bedroom. He fumbled cringed as he turned on his bedside lamp and picked up his phone. He didn't even look at the caller ID, nor did he recognize the ringtone, as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" His voice was rough and tired. Jay scratched his head and looked at his alarm clock. Who on earth would be calling him at two in the morning? If this is Tyler or Aziz playing another one of their pranks, he would kick their asses.

"Jay…" For a moment there, he couldn't breathe. Jay felt his chest tighten. Even after so many years, Jay could recognize her voice in a heartbeat. "I'm sorry to call… so late, but… you said to call if… if… I need you. I need you, Jay, I, I don't know… what to do." Lonnie managed to choke out between heavy sobs.

Jay was wide awake the moment Lonnie said his name. He threw the covers off and sat on the edge of his bed, holding his breath. After all this time, she has finally called. He thought he would never hear that beautiful voice again.

"Lon? Where are you?" Jay didn't care what time he had been woken up at. It was Lonnie, the girl he had been longing for the past five years. His heart was pounding in his chest. He would always go to her. No matter where she was or what was happening, he would drop everything and everything for her. Everything he had once felt for her came flooding back to him at the sound of her voice.

"I'm at the app... a… apartment. I nev… never moved. Jay, hur… hurry pl… please." Lonnie could barely get the words out, everything hurt so badly.

"I'm on my way. Just hold on, baby. I'm coming." Jay said, jumping out of bed. 'Why on earth did I choose to move three hours away from her?' thought Jay. He continued to talk to Lonnie as he grabbed his old gym bag and started packing. "Lon, are you alone?"

Lonnie sighed and bit her lip as she glanced down the hallway, wondering how on earth she was going to explain everything to Jay. "Yes, well… no. Sort of. It's hard to explain."

Jay froze. He felt like he just got sucker punched in the gut. He slumped against the dresser. He had waited too long and lost her. She had moved on.

"Jay? I need you. You promised that if I ever…" Lonnie was consumed by her sobs.

"I'm coming, baby. Are you hurt?" Jay couldn't keep the panic out of his question. If this lover of hers hurt Lonnie, he would kill 'em. His question was met with silence. "Lonnie, are you hurt?" he repeated with a little more urgency.

"No, I just… It's bad." Lonnie struggled to get any words out.

Jay had no idea what he was getting himself into, but he didn't care. Lonnie never cried. Ever. If she was crying and calling him for help in the middle of the night, it must be terrible. "I'm coming, Lon. Just hold on for me. I'll be there soon." He hung up and began to get dressed.

Jay paused grabbing clothes from the drawer when he saw the small velvet box. He squeezed it in his fist and tossed it into his bag. He held onto it for all this time, hoping she would forgive him. He hadn't heard from her in five years, yet, all the feelings he felt for her so long ago came flooding back as soon as she spoke. He sighed and rubbed his face. He broke her heart and yet, she still called him. Whatever was happening to her had to be unbearably bad.

Jay had been overflowing with excitement when he told Lonnie about the position Ben had offered to him. They could return home. He could finally take care of her. Jay never considered that she didn't want to go. It had never occurred to him that Lonnie was happy there. Triton's Bay had been good for them at first, but Jay had been constantly frustrated.

Not being able to pamper her, nevermind buy her a decent ring, frustrated him to no end. Lonnie would tell him that material stuff didn't matter to her and that she was happy living a simple life. She said this as royal assholes tried to court her. She turned them down; hanging up or ignoring their phone calls, getting rid of their gifts, and burning their letters. Jay knew she deserved better, so he gave her the only two things he could give; his heart, and her freedom. He zipped up his bag and sent a quick text to Tyler: 'Call in the boys. Heading to Triton's Bay now. Meet there ASAP.' He didn't wait for a response. They would all come to help and somehow, Jay would figure out how to win her back.

"Who were you talking to?" The little girl asked softly as she rubbed her eyes. Her big, brown, sleepy eyes looked around the dimly lit room. Her long hair was messed up from sleeping. She was wearing one of Jay's old t-shirts for a nightgown.

"A friend, honey. Go back to sleep." Lonnie whispered reassuringly as she brushed her hand over the little girl's head and gently nudged the child down the hall and back to bed.

 **A/N: There it is. The first chapter. 2,700 words in nearly 5 consecutive hours. I wish I could write all my essays so quickly. I don't know how the original author used to put up one chapter for multiple stories every day. I can't imagine how quickly she types!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed the story!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for reading my story! It made me so happy to check my email this morning and see that people are commenting and following.**

 **I have received requests to start more stories, and I will get to those as soon as possible. This month, I have a lot of other obligations for school and for my family, so I will most likely only be able to write one chapter of any story in a day. I plan on taking a break during March and April because that is when finals and job applications start to build up, but I will do my best to write as much as possible.**

 **Again, Descendants belongs to Disney and this story and the OCs belong to Kellygirl46.**

 **Here is chapter two!**

 **Chapter two**

 **The summer after Jay graduated from high school**

"Why are you not wanting to do this? Mom and Dad said to go." Sian pestered Lonnie.

She continued to work at the library, just like she did every day. She had her work ahead of her if she were going to go with Jay to Triton's Bay next year for college. Even though her relationship with Jay was now out in the open, not everything was smooth sailing for them. Sian still wasn't completely on board.

"I have a job, you dork! I can't just take off like you," Lonnie retorted to her brother, who just wasn't listening.

"If you're waiting to see if Jay's going -" Sian was cut off by the boys walking over. They were there to try and convince Lonnie to join in on their plans for the summer.

Jay was the last to stroll in. He walked up behind Lonnie, tilted her chair back just enough to get a squeal out of her, and kissed her upside down. "We're going," he whispered in her ear. "I have some really fun things I'd like to teach you."

Lonnie blushed and looked up at Jay, knowing exactly what kind of things he was talking about. She was inexperienced but was having fun and learning a lot from Jay, and she was finding that there were some things he was learning as well. It was a fun and exciting learning process that was bringing them closer together.

 **Present**

"Why are you crying again?" asked the little one as she crawled back into her bed. Lonnie pulled the red and yellow covers around the child and tucked her in.

"I'm just sad and tired. It'll be better soon. I promise." Lonnie kissed the little girl's forehead and tried to hold her tears back. She was going to have a lot of explaining to do when Jay gets here.

He ran out of the building's elevator and over to his reserved parking space. Jay strapped down his things, put on his helmet, and started the bike. He'd drive as far as he had to for her. He pulled out of the garage and raced away. The wind raced through his long hair as what she said repeated in his head.

'She never moved out,' Jay thought. She still lived in the same small, two-bedroom apartment. The tiny apartment she fell in love with when they first arrived in which they had made three years of memories in. God, he missed that place. And Lonnie. He missed her, and he broke her heart when he left and for five miserable years, he kicked himself for making the biggest mistake of his life. Damn, he was so stupid. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Jay drove as fast as he could while remembering the week before he left. All they seemed to was fight, and Lonnie had been so sick that week. Jay remembered that she threw up the minute she got out of bed. Her stomach was constantly bothering her. No matter what they tried, nothing seemed to settle her stomach. It had been the worst week of his life.

The worst day was the day he left. Jay felt as bad as Lonnie looked. He thought he'd be throwing up right alongside her that morning. His world seemed to be spinning, and he couldn't stop it. Jay tried to reassure Lonnie that this wasn't the end. They could somehow make it work. That never happened.

"Lon, I'll find a place for us. I'll get settled in and then you can come. It won't be long," Jay had told her. He hoped she would call when she was ready.

"It's not that simple, Jay. I have a job, I can't just walk out," Lonnie tried to explain. He just didn't seem to get that part.

"We can do this. If we stick together," Jay tried to reassure her.

"But we aren't going to be together, Jay. You're moving three hours away. You're leaving." Lonnie touched his face sadly. This is an amazing opportunity for you. I'm so proud of you."

"Call me when you're ready. I'll come for you." Jay slowly kissed her for the last time, tasting each tear that streamed down her face. "I'm always here for you, Lonnie. I will always come for you."

Those last two sentences echoed in his head. He lost her that day because she wanted him to follow his dream. She let him go because it wasn't a dream she shared with him. That was what killed him.

Lonnie sat on the couch, knees pulled up to her chest, and stared at the photo of her and Jay. Mulan and Shang had been upset, and Sian had been downright furious with her. It was her choice to make, yet, she didn't feel she had a choice at all. Jay didn't want her anymore. If he didn't want her, then why would he want their child? Lonnie remembered the day she told her family about the baby, and their reactions, like it was yesterday.

 **Five years ago**

"Lonnie, you need to tell him," Mulan said softly as she hugged her daughter.

"I can't." Lonnie sobbed on her mother's shoulder. "He doesn't want me anymore. He's not going to want our baby."

"You don't know that, Lonnie." Shang rubbed the back of his neck. He really thought Jay and Lonnie would be together forever. He had seen first hand how much they loved each other. "You need to think about this, sweetheart."

 **Present**

The tears streamed down Lonnie's face as she remembered making the hardest decision of her life. Sian had been furious with her and made no secret he was completely against it from the very beginning.

 **Five years ago**

"You can't _not_ tell him, Lonnie! That's his kid you're carrying. He has a right to know," yelled Sian. There was nothing tender in his approach.

"I can't ruin his life! He chose to leave, not me. I'm still here," Lonnie sobbed. She was miserable without him. "You can't tell him, Sian. You can't say anything," Lonnie pleaded for his silence.

Sian glared at her and for the first time, felt horrible for Jay. If it were him, he would want to know. He'd want to be a part of the baby's life. "You can't ask me to do that, Lon. It's not fair to either of you."

"Is it fair to force him into something he doesn't want? He left me. He made that choice." Lonnie cried harder.

"Don't cry, Lon." Sian sighed and pulled her into his arms. This was going to be a hard road for her. "I won't tell, He needs to hear that from you, not me. Someday, though, you're gonna have to tell him. The longer you wait, the worse it'll be."

 **Present**

If only she had listened to her family. Lonnie ran her fingers over Jay's face in the picture. This was not going to be easy.

Every memory flooded through Jay as he pulled into that driveway. It had been five long years since he left, but suddenly, it felt like just yesterday. Every memory, every moment he spent there, seemed so long ago and yet each one of them was so clear. Jay turned off the bike and looked at his watch. It was just after five in the morning. The sun was just starting to break the horizon and light was starting to streak across the sky. He slowly got off the bike, grabbed his bag, and trudged up to the door.

He stood there for a long moment, looking at the door. He glanced at his key, which was still on his keychain, then back at the door. Should he knock, or just walk in? He swallowed hard, trying to decide. He didn't live here anymore and hadn't for a while. Jay was sure that her boyfriend or husband, he tensed and shuddered at the thought, wouldn't appreciate him just walking in. He took a deep breath and knocked.

Lonnie heard the bike pull up and felt the butterflies flutter in the pit of her stomach. 'He must have raced to get here,' she thought, looking at the clock on her mantle. She jumped when she heard the knock. 'Does he no longer have his key? Of course not,' Lonnie thought. 'After all this time, he must have gotten rid of it.'

Lonnie cringed when she saw herself in the front hall mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying all night. Her cheeks were red and tear-stained. Her throat was raw and her eyes felt like they had been rubbed with sandpaper. She smoothed out her hair and tried to smile, but couldn't. This was just too hard to make pleasant.

Lonnie took a deep breath as she walked to the door and slowly released it as she pulled the door open. Jay stared into those brown eyes and melted for her. He couldn't move for a long moment as he took her in. She said it was bad, and from the look on her face, she hadn't been lying. Jay thought she was still beautiful. His heart ached as he stepped forward. Jay said nothing as he dropped his bag on the floor and pulled Lonnie into his arms. She tensed for a second before she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly as tears began to fall yet again. Her ability to hold herself together was gone.

"Hey! Hey, baby, I'm right here. Just like I promised. It's gonna be okay, Lonnie. We'll make it okay. Jay had no idea what happened, but whatever it was, he'd fix it. He kissed Lonnie on the side of her head and swayed her side to side as she buried her face in Jay's shoulder. God, how he missed her.

His body had changed slightly. He was still muscular and fit, but more filled out now. He was stronger, if that was even possible. She noticed that her arms didn't wrap around him quite the same way. He still smelled the same, though. He was no longer a boy, but a man. Lonnie sighed and sobbed again when he kissed her head. She needed him.

Her body had changed slightly. Jay felt the difference immediately. Her curves were more defined. Her breasts were slightly larger and pressed against his chest and her hips had filled out. She had the same small waist, though. She was a woman now, no longer the girl he knew. He squeezed her tighter against his chest when she shuddered.

"How about we get out of the doorway?" Jay whispered in her ear.

Lonnie nodded and started to step away, only to have Jay pull her back to his side. He picked up his bag as they made their way into the living room, still wrapped in each other's arms. Jay quickly scanned the room and saw that nothing had changed except for a few new photos on the mantle.

Jay kept his arms around her as they sat down on the couch. Whatever it was that she had called him for had really messed her up. Whatever it was, they would deal with it together. "What happened, Lonnie?"

She shook her head How could she tell him everything at once? Lonnie leaned forward and buried her face in her hands. Jay pulled her back to him and held on. He wasn't going to do this the same way again. It had taken five years for her to call him. He would not lose her again.

"Jay, before I tell you, there's something you need to know -" Lonnie froze when she saw Jay's eyes focus on the movement in the hallway.

 **Wow. Not gonna lie, I almost cried when I wrote the part about Lonnie telling her family about the baby.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Another chapter! Remember to download, comment, and/or follow if you're enjoying this!**

 **Chapter 3**

He felt her eyes on him almost immediately. He saw the small form peek around the wall. Jay looked up and felt his heart rip apart. Had Lonnie moved on? He nudged her and nodded in the direction of the little one who was tentatively walking into the room towards them.

Lonnie sat up fast and pulled away from Jay as soon as she saw the little girl. Quickly, Lonnie wiped the tears off her cheeks. She felt a wave of panic hit her. She hadn't had a chance to break the news to him yet. She tried to sound calm, but it didn't quite work. "Hey, baby. It's too early for you to be up."

Jay looked back and forth between Lonnie and the little girl. The girl was wearing his shirt. His shirt? Jay could feel his heart begin to pound in his chest. That was one of his old shirts. He knew that cobra anywhere. Lonnie used to sleep in it. Jay frowned as he closely watched Lonnie and the little girl. He could easily see the resemblance between Lonnie and the child, but there was something else there, too. Something more familiar about her.

The girl walked over and poked Jay in the chest with her tiny finger. "What's your name?" Her innocent eyes searched his face as if she should know him.

He knew those eyes. Her face looked so much like Lonnie's, but her eyes. Jay had seen those eyes before, but he couldn't place where. Jay tried to determine her age. She was small but talked fairly well. He had to guess three. That would have meant… Jay counted the months backwards. Had Lonnie really moved on to someone else that fast? She said she loved him and wanted to be with him. How could she have just had a kid with someone else so quickly?

Jay swallowed hard and studied the little one as he answered. "Jay." He said softly and gave her a small smile which didn't quite reach his eyes. This was _not_ what he expected to find.

"That's like mine! My name is Jaylian. Mama said she named me after my addy and my Uncle Sian." The girl said happily as she went to the coffee table and grabbed the photo Lonnie had been looking at earlier.

"Jaylian, no! Wait!" Lonnie started, but it was too late. Jay was staring down at an old picture of the two of them. It was from before everything happened. Before the fights and before he left, hoping that one day she would call.

"See that's my daddy. You kinda look like him, but older." Jaylian said softly as she touched Jay's face and hair. Jay turned slowly to look at Lonnie and froze. She could see him putting it together very quickly.

 **Five Years Ago**

She watched Jay finish packing up his things. It wasn't supposed to end this way. The whole thing was supposed to be a happy ending. Lonnie sat on the bed and hugged the old t-shirt of Jay's that she sleeps in, tears silently slipping down her face. She didn't want to let it go.

"I guess you should have this one, too." Lonnie slowly held out the shirt.

Jay looked over his shoulder and shook his head. "Lonnie, you're acting like this is forever. As soon as you're packed, I'll come to get you."

He didn't understand. She loved Triton's Bay. This was where she wanted to be. She had finally convinced the headmaster to let her teach swordplay as a physical education component to the grade seven and eight students. She was finally going to do what she loves.

Lonnie had taken up a part-time job as an assistant librarian at the same school. It had taken her months to realize that even with both of them working, things were not going so well for Jay. He had put on a good act, but Lonnie knew Jay wanted more for her. Jay just didn't understand that she doesn't need material things to make her happy. All she needed was him.

That was a regular subject of arguments for them. Lonnie thought that if she flipped her schedule around and worked full time while studying part-time, she could take some of the pressure off of Jay. So, she pushed for another position at the school. She finally had it, but when she came home to tell Jay her exciting news, he was already packing up. She never got the chance to tell Jay about her news. All he could think about was going back to Auradon and starting his new job. She never got a word out.

Lonnie felt that going back to Auradon was like taking a step back in time. Lonnie had thought that this move to Triton's Bay was the beginning of the next chapter of their lives together. The three years they were there together had been tough, but so worthwhile. She never dreamed that Jay would be so miserable there.

"Jay, we have this place. We're committed until fall. You and I both have jobs. We have a life here." Lonnie felt her stomach roll again.

Her face paled and Jay frowned. It was not normal for Lonnie to be sick, and this would be the third time today that Lonnie was throwing up. Lonnie jumped off the bed and ran to their en suite bathroom. Jay dropped his things and followed right behind her.

"Are you okay?" Jay asked. His concern grew each time she raced to the bathroom. You can't stress over this the way you are, Lon. We're together. I love you. Distance will only be temporary. Once everything is wrapped up here, you'll move back to me."

Lonnie leaned back against the counter next to the toilet and looked up at Jay. "I'm so proud of you for getting this, I really am, but this is my home. Our home. I can't just leave." She felt the next wave of nausea hit and threw up again.

Jay ran a washcloth under cold water after Lonnie rinsed out her mouth for the third time that day, and he helped her back to the bed. Lonnie laid down and curled into a ball as Jay placed the cloth across her forehead. She felt horrible. All week, she had been throwing up constantly. By mid-afternoon, she was famished, and by the time five pm rolled around, she was ready for bed. It was so unlike her. Maybe it was time to see the doctor…

 **Present**

First, the realization hit. Then shock. Then anger. And then, something she did not expect. Sadness. Lonnie took the picture out of Jaylian's hands and nudged her back down the hall. Lonnie could see the questions coming fast and wanted to move her daughter out of the room and out of Jay's line of fire. "Back to sleep, sweety. Just a little bit longer, please. Mama has to talk to Jay a little, okay?"

Jaylian frowned at her mother but did as she was told and went back to her room.

Lonnie slowly walked back to the living room, afraid of what was going to happen next. She sat in the leather chair across from Jay, her eyes never leaving his face as she waited for him to process it. Jay leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together in front of his mouth, staring at the photo on the table.

"How old is she?" Jay already figured out the answer but asked anyway.

"Jay…" Lonnie whispered. She couldn't say anything else.

Jay's hands tensed. "How old, Lonnie?" His voice got louder, harder.

"Four," Lonnie whispered. "Almost five."

Jay's eyes darted up to hers. He left just over five and a half years ago. Jaylian was four, almost five. He never doubted Lonnie's faithfulness to him. That left only one option. Jay rubbed his face with both hands. He looked around the room, then back to Lonnie and the tears in her eyes. At that moment, Jay became certain of the truth and felt his world go spinning in a way he never could have imagined.

 **Another Chapter! Wow, this one's really short. I cut out the smutty part because 1) I'm not very comfortable with writing that, and 2) it didn't seem relevant to the story. I'm thinking of coming up with chapter names, what do y'all think of that? I have a lot planned for the rest of this story, and I can't wait for you all to read it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! Sorry for the long wait. That was partly because this semester is going to be super busy for me, and partly because I haven't been getting very many reviews, and more reviews from y'all means more motivation for me,** _ **but,**_ **I have some ideas for the ending and for upcoming projects, which means I need to update more frequently.**

 **If you're enjoying this story, please please PLEASE comment and follow!**

 **As usual,** _ **Descendants**_ **belongs to Disney channel and Kellygirl46, I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to continue your work!**

Chapter 4

 **Five Years Ago**

Lonnie sat outside the office door and fidgeted with the loose string at the bottom of her sweater. She had been trying for months now to convince the headmaster that she was the perfect fit for the new gym teacher position and that swordplay would be a fun activity to try and incorporate into the lesson plans. One of the gym teachers was in her third trimester, which means that she would have a more difficult time instructing her classes and had mentioned that she would like to take a couple of years off after her maternity leave to recover and focus on her children. Lonnie had finally gotten the call that he wanted to meet with her. Lonnie only hoped that it was good news. Jay could really use some right now. He had been so frustrated lately, and nothing she said or did seems to help.

"Lonnie! Thank you for coming. The headmaster opened the door to his office and gestured to one of the chairs opposite to him. He sat down behind his desk and smiled politely at Lonnie. She continued to fidget with the loose string as she waited for her boss to say something.

"We're fortunate to have you on staff with us, even as an assistant librarian. I've thought a lot about what you proposed for the physical education curriculum. While I like the idea and we do have the money for some swords and equipment, I don't think permanently adding swordplay to the program is possible. Some parents might not be comfortable with us forcing their kids to handle swords, and some kids are not mature enough to be trusted with weapons."

Lonnie felt her heart fall. She wanted this so badly and had really gotten her hopes up.

"I did, however, come up with another idea. We could offer swordplay as a drop-in activity a few times a week for the grade seven and eight students?. This way, you can reserve the right to remove students who are misbehaving and we don't have parents complaining about us letting kids handle weapons." The headmaster smiled as he saw Lonnie's excitement. "How would you like to continue to work part-time in the library and teach part-time? Then, when Jennifer leaves to have her baby, we can talk more about who will cover her position full time."

"Yes! Absolutely! This is perfect. You won't regret it, I promise." Lonnie could barely contain her joy. By the time Jennifer goes on maternity leave, Lonnie will almost be done her teaching degree, which means that she is now basically guaranteed a full-time job after graduation.

She rushed home after the meeting, so excited to tell Jay the good news. Lonnie thought that she flipping her schedule around and studying part-time while working full time would take a lot of financial pressure off of Jay.

Her mod dropped completely when she walked through the door and that saw Jay's bags were packed and sitting by the front door. "Jay? What's going on?" Lonnie felt like a cold fist was tightening around her heart and an uneasy knot was being tied in her stomach. This wasn't good. What was happening?

Jay walked in, grinning and carrying a large box. "We're going home, Lon! Ben called. He offered me a job, and not just a job, but the perfect job! He wants me to help with training a new army for him!" Jay set the box down and took hold of both of Lonnie's hands. This was the happiest he had been in a long time. "This is perfect for us. I'll start as soon as we get back to Auradon. Ben's taking care of housing and everything. We don't have to worry about anything anymore. This is exactly what I've been wanting."

Jay scooped Lonnie up and spun her around, placing a long, breathtaking kiss on her lips. He set her back on her feet and turned to get another box. Not once did he consult her about this decision, nor did he notice the disappointment on her face. Lonnie's happy news would have to wait. She swallowed hard as she felt a wave of nausea hit her. 'This bug really needs to go away,' she thought as she leaned against the wall.

 **Present**

Jay said nothing, but stood up and paced the room for a moment before stopping in front of the window across from the hallway the kitchen doorway, his back to Lonnie. He stared at the sunrise, his mind going back to the week before he left. She was never sick, ever, except for that one week.

"She's mine?" Jay asked softly, even though he knew the answer. He is a father. He saw himself in the little face immediately. "I can't not ask Lonnie, she's mine?"

"Yes." Lonnie could barely get the word out.

"You were sick every day the week I left," Jay said softly. Lonnie heard the pain in his voice and let the tears fall. "It was morning sickness… wasn't it?"

Lonnie hesitated until Jay looked over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows at her, waiting for an answer. Lonnie nodded slowly. "I didn't know, Jay. I didn't find out until after you were gone and by then I knew-"

"Knew what, Lon?" Jay turned fully around and looked at her as he spoke. His anger began to boil inside, but he kept his voice down because of Jaylian. He didn't want to upset the little girl; she was too young to fully understand what was happening. "That I'd suck as a father? That you didn't want your kid… _our_ kid, to grow up as a villain kid?"

"That if you didn't want me enough to be with me, you wouldn't want her! I couldn't put her through that pain!" Lonnie buried her face in her hands. She never thought Jay would make a terrible father. Ever. It broke her heart every day to see so much of Jay in that little girl, and to watch their child grow and learn and explore while knowing that Jay was not there to share in her joy, but, she refused to hold him back from his dreams. Leaving was his choice. This was something that meant more to him than she did. Lonnie knew she would never trap him into something he didn't want. This was going so much worse than she thought it could go. Her heart was being torn apart all over again.

Jay felt like he'd been slapped in the face. Hard. With a frying pan. She knocked every bit of anger out of him in one blow. 'Damn, that one hurt,' Jay thought. Given the circumstances of their last few months together, he could see why Lonnie thought that way. He wanted Lonnie more and more every day, he just wasn't ready for her. It was a huge difference. Jay took a long breath and sat down on the table in front of Lonnie. He reached forward and gently pulled Lonnie's hands off her face and held on to them.

"I've always wanted you. Don't ever think that I didn't." Jay reached up and cupped her face, making her look at him. "I loved you so much, it scared me."

Lonnie caught them. 'Wanted.' 'Didn't.' 'Loved.' 'Scared.' All in the past tense. Jay had moved on. Of course, he must have. There was never a time when girls weren't falling at his feet. She pulled away and walked to the couch to sit down. Leaning against the arm of the couch and pulling her legs up to her chest, she found comfort the only way she could. Lonnie knew she couldn't afford to get close to him again. She couldn't go through that horrible pain of having him leaving and breaking her heart.

'This is what's best for Jaylian and for Jay. He needs to choose to be in Jaylian's life,' Lonnie told her self. "I never thought you'd be a bad father, Jay. You'll make an awesome father."

"Just not to her?" Jay asked, painfully aware of what she was implying. She didn't want him anymore. She had moved on. All this time and he never knew. He was breaking on the inside. He is a father. What the hell? Nearly five years… How did nobody tell him?

"No, I've told Jaylian about you. Everything I know. That's why she recognized you." Lonnie couldn't hold back her tears now.

Jay settled a little. Jaylian did show him the picture, and she said he looked just like her daddy and had the same name as him. At the age of four, would she figure it out on her own? Jay could honestly say that he didn't know enough about kids to answer that.

"Why did you call me tonight?" Jay looked up at her. "You had no intention of telling me I have a kid, so calling me meant you have no one else. So why did you call?"

Lonnie let her head fall down against her knees. She was so tired and this conversation was killing her one word at a time. Jay frowned as he saw the stress in her. He knew her inside and out at one point. Not so long ago, he could read her like a book. Lonnie was very close with those she loved. She would only get this upset if something happened to one of them. Jay moved to sit in front of her on the couch.

"Is she okay? Is Jaylian sick?" Jay was concerned that something was wrong with their child. _His_ child. His head just wasn't wrapping around that fact that he is a father.

Lonnie shook her head. "No, she's fine."

Jay took a deep breath. His next question. If something was wrong with her, Jay knew he would move mountains to get her healthy. He wouldn't leave her side again. It's been five long years, and all they do is fight. No way was he going to do that again.

"Are you sick?" Jay rested his hands on her knees, gently rubbing his thumbs in circles. Lonnie looked up and drowned in those concerned dark brown eyes for a moment. She missed this connection to him. Jay felt the connection too, and gently moved her legs down and scooted forward. He cupped her face again and brought her closer to him and rested his forehead against hers. "Lon, are you sick?"

Lonnie could only shake her head. Jay sighed in relief. At least they were all healthy. "What aren't you telling me?" Lonnie shook her head. She couldn't get the words out. Not yet.

"Are you… is there anyone… else… I should know about?" Jay struggled to get the question out. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

Lonnie shook her head again. "No, not since you." She whispered. Her heart was aching for what they once had. Jay felt the tension in his heart release. He could breathe for a moment. He still had a chance to get her back.

The tears continued to stream down her cheeks and Jay did the only thing he could to comfort her. He tilted his head and tenderly brought his lips to hers. Warm and soft, his lips slid like silk over hers. His thumbs gently stroked her cheeks as he softly nipped on her bottom lip. 'Damn, how I've missed this,' they both bodies have ached for one another for so long. This simple kiss wasn't going to be enough for long.

Jay pressed his lips harder against hers. All the pent up feelings from the past five years were yearning to be released. Lonnie only parted her lips a little bit, but it was all Jay needed to deepen the kiss. It had been way too long since they did something like this. Lonnie sighed softly. This connection to him was exactly what she needed right now. Her sigh nearly unravelled him.

Jay slowly pulled back. Lonnie's eyes stayed closed, but he could still see tears falling. Jay moved Lonnie's legs off to the side and scooted a little closer to her. He reached over and gently pulled her into his lap, cradling her against his chest. Lonnie wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into him. He could tell that she's had enough questions and stress for the moment.

Jay planted delicate kisses over her face as his hand slowly slid up and down her back. He could feel every muscle slowly relax as he worked his magic over her. She needed to rest before she could handle any more. He would give her until the others got here. If it was this traumatic, then Jay didn't want Lonnie repeating it over and over. Once would be enough. Then, they could all work on fixing the problem.

"Lon, how much sleep have you gotten? When did you last sleep?" Jay whispered against her ear.

Lonnie shrugged. She had been like this since she got the initial news. She had to think hard about when that was. "Thursday, I think."

That was almost three days ago now. It was early Sunday morning. 'Three days is way too long for her to go without sleep,' Jay thought as he rested his chin on Lonnie's head and held her a little closer. "Sleep, Lon. I'll take care of you and Jaylian."

He finally got her to sleep. It took an hour of soothing and a lot of tears, but Lonnie finally fell into a very deep sleep; something she desperately needed.

Jay carried her bridal-style into their old bedroom. The walls were dark red with white trim and white blinds, the bedspread and decorative pillows were red, black, and yellow, and the furniture was all dark wood. The only mismatched thing in the room was the beige carpet which covered every floor in the apartment except for the kitchen and bathrooms. When he entered the room, Lonnie's short, wide dresser was to his left. Her large, horizontal mirror was facing their double-sized bed and the window on the far side of the room. Across from the bed was Jay's old dresser. To the left of his dresser was their tiny bathroom, and to the right was their small walk-in closet. Lonnie had kept everything exactly the same, which surprised him. Even his dresser was still there. He felt himself break at it all.

He gently set Lonnie into the bed and pulled the blanket up over her. He crouched down and watched her for a moment. Why did he ever leave her? He asked himself that question more often than he cared to admit. Jay stood up and noticed a small head poking around the doorframe. It was time he got to know his daughter.

"How about we let your mom sleep," Jay whispered and smiled softly, seeing a little bit of mischief in her eyes. It was the same look he often had in his own eyes when he was younger. Jay looked at the alarm clock on Lonnie's bedside table. It was quarter past 6 am. The boys wouldn't be here for a few more hours. "Come on. I'll feed you and we can watch cartoons and you can tell me all about your mom."

"Mama's the bestest person _ever!_ " Jaylian gave him a gap-toothed smile as she jumped and threw her arms up in the air on the word 'ever' to emphasize her point.

"She is, isn't she?" Jay couldn't help but smile and ruffle the girl's hair as he walked past her.

Jaylian followed Jay down the hall for a bit and into the kitchen and watched him rummage around, looking for food. Lonnie had always done the cooking, so learning to cook for himself never happened. For the past five years, Jay had been living off of ramen, macaroni and cheese, frozen dinners, and take-out. "What does Lon - sorry, Mama usually give you for breakfast?"

Jaylian saw the perfect opportunity to get something her mother would never allow. "Chocolate cake. She says it has all the 'gredients for a healfy meal."

Jay frowned and looked at the innocent face of the little girl sitting at the table across the room from him. It did sound like something Lonnie would say. Jay shrugged as he pulled the cake and milk out of the fridge. He set out two plates and cut two sizable pieces. He couldn't let the kid eat alone, and Jay knew just how well Lonnie could bake.

"Are you allowed to eat out there?" Jay asked, knowing that when he lived here, Lonnie refused to allow anything other than a glass of water on her couch.

"Yeah, we eat there all the time." Jaylian took her plate and fork into the living room with a huge grin on her face, knowing she was never allowed to eat in there. She settled herself on the couch while Jay poured a glass of milk for the girl and a mug of coffee for himself, and carefully carried his plate and drinks to the coffee table.

The two sat in comfortable silence. Jay turned on the tv and regretted it as soon as he did. Now he knew why Lonnie was so upset. Shang and Mulan were plastered on the screen. Jay sat in stunned for a moment and listened to the newscast. Shang was dead and Mulan was missing.

"That's Grandma and Grandpa!" Jaylian chirped happily and pointed at the screen, not understanding the report.

Jay immediately turned it off and frowned. How did Shang die? Why was Mulan missing? And where was Sian? Jay pulled out his phone and saw several texts and messages from the boys. He blew out a long breath and quickly replied. With everything that had hit him this morning, Jay completely forgot to give them an address.

The door burst open and three men walked in as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Jay and Jaylian looked up. Bags were set down as coats were hung up and shoes were removed. Tyler spotted Jay first.

"You know, you seriously need to check your phone once in a while. You're luck Carlos can track your phone. Who's this? Tyler rattled off as Jaylian walked over to the men.

"This is Lonnie's daughter. Jaylian, these are Tyler, Carlos, and Aziz. They're some friends of mine and your mother's." Each man nodded or waved in their turn at the curious little girl as Jay said their names. Jay looked up at the three shocked faces. "Jaylian is four, going on five." He let that sink in. The realization of the timing sunk in and had the three men looking at each other, then back and forth between Jay and the child.

"Oh shit!" muttered Aziz. Sorry kid, bad habit."

"Uncle Sian says that word a lot. He goes red with some others." Jaylian said and went back to her cake as Jay stood up and went to the guys. So, Sian definitely knew and kept Jaylian from her father. That would be a discussion for when Lonnie's brother gets here.

"Is she… ?" Carlos was dumbfounded.

Yep. She's mine." Jay's answer was curt. He was still a bit angry and very taken back by everything that had happened in the past four hours. He was a Dad. At least, he will be as soon as he gets Lonnie back and they figure out how to break the news to Jaylian.

"How the hell did that happen?" Aziz asked, watching the happy little girl enjoy her cake.

"Really? You still don't understand how that stuff happens?" Tyler teased, earning him a punch in the arm from Aziz.

"Where's Lonnie?" Carlos looked around and didn't see her.

"She's asleep. There's a lot going on, guys. We need to find Sian. He needs to be here for her," Jay answered softly.

Tyler cringed slightly. "Not a good idea, man. Ally's on her way with the girls. We called them, just in case. Your message at stupid o'clock was a bit cryptic."

"They'll have to deal with it. We have to find Sian first, then Ally can beat the crap out of him." Jay said as Carlos took his laptop out of his bag and set himself up at the kitchen table. He had a feeling that shit was about to hit the fan. Ally and Sian have barely had a civil conversation in six years.

 **Hoo, what a loaded chapter. 3,400 words! Sorry it took so long. I had a lot of fun improvising some new stuff for y'all.**

 **Jaylian is such a cutie, isn't she? I want to write more cute moments like that one where she talks about how much she loves her mom.**

 **Art really does mimic life. "Jennifer" is named after a phys ed teacher I had back in elementary school, and she was pregnant while I was in her class. Lonnie and Jay's bedroom is basically a smaller version of my parents' room, but smaller and with a different colour scheme.**


	5. Are You my Daddy?

**Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help me generate ideas. Your advice is very much appreciated. I also enjoy getting to know my readers a bit and knowing that y'all enjoy these stories!**

 **Thanks again to Kellygirl46 for letting me continue with her work, and thanks to Disney Channel for blessing us with the Descendants franchise.**

Chapter 5

 **Four Years Ago**

Sian paced the floor of his apartment, holding his cell phone up to his ear. He couldn't take Jay anymore. The anger issues were getting worse. He had been reprimanded numerous times for fighting and no one wanted to work with him. On top of that, Sian had caught him drunk at work again. If this continued, Jay would be out of a job. Things were getting out of hand and the only way to fix Jay is to tell him the truth. He waited for Lonnie to return to the phone. She is the only person who can help Jay.

"Sorry, she's really fussy tonight. How are you and everyone else?" Lonnie asked as she settled the newborn onto her breast for feeding. She asked about everyone each time, but Sian knew that was only concerned about Jay. Sian was her main link to Jay and her friends in Auradon. Even Jane, one of her best friends, she only spoke to by phone now.

"Honestly, I'm about ready to kill your boyfriend, Lonnie. He's driving everyone crazy," Sian grumbled. Poor old Jay was getting worse by the day.

"Sian, he isn't my boyfriend anymore. You know that. Jay left on his own. I didn't ask him to," Lonnie spoked softly as the baby suckled at her breast.

"Take him back, Lon. Get your miserable ass back here, tell him he has a kid and take him off my hands. The guy's a dick to everyone! I can't take much more of his shit." Lonnie cried softly into the phone, breaking her brother's heart. Sian sighed and decided to try a gentler approach. "Don't cry, Lon. Jay misses you. He loves you. Please, just talk to him. Come back and talk to him. He has a right to know about Jaylian."

 **Present**

While the other men got to work on finding Sian, Jay walked back to the bedroom and looked in on Lonnie. She had rolled over and curled herself into a ball facing the door. She looked the most vulnerable he had ever seen her. Her father was dead, her mother was missing, and no one had seen or heard from her brother in days. No wonder Lonnie was so upset. She was scared, grieving, and on top of all that, running on steam trying to take care of her little girl. _Their_ little girl, Jay reminded himself. He was still trying to understand why Lonnie and Sian had kept his daughter a secret from him for so long. Jay walked over and knelt next to the bed, his fingers gently brushed Lonnie's hair from her face.

"Why didn't you tell me we have a kid? Jay whispered. He sighed softly, resting his head next to Lonnie's face on the bed and watched her sleep. He thought he had lost Lonnie forever. "I never would have elt the last five years happen, Lonnie. Baby… I wish you had told me."

The little girl silently crept into the room and gently placed her hand on Jay's shoulder. Jay turned his head and smiled softly at her. She had inherited his skills to sneak up on someone. Jay was impressed that she was as silent as a mouse, especially considering that earlier that morning she had been giggling and hopping like a rabbit.

"Why are all these people here? Mama said it was gonna get better soon, but I don't know what's wrong. Is that why you're here?" Jaylian's big brown eyes searched his face for an answer.

Jay nodded, his eyes glistening with his own tears that he would never let fall. "Yeah, pumpkin. I'm gonna do everything I can to make everything better. I promise." It was his first promise to his daughter, and Jay knew it wouldn't be the last.

"Are we gonna have a birthday party? That's what mama does, but not with this many people," Jaylian asked excitedly. Having more party guests means more presents for her.

"Whose birthday, pumpkin?" Jay knew it wasn't his or Lonnie's.

"Mine, next week. Mama said she's gonna get Uncle Sian and Grandma and Grandpa to come and visit again." Jaylian grinned excitedly. Being five years old is a big deal because this year, she will graduate kindergarten and next year, she will start grade one at the school where her mama works!

Jay rubbed his face. He didn't even know when his own daughters birthday is. Jay could feel his frustration over the situation growing again. Why didn't Lonnie tell him? She wasn't one to keep secrets and couldn't lie to save her life, so why would she keep this from him? This didn't make any sense.

Jay was lost in thought, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he has a daughter who was hidden from him for five years. This isn't like Lonnie at all. The tap on his shoulder got his attention again. Jay smiled softly at Jaylian and gently brushed his hand over her head. She looks just like the pictures Jay had seen of Lonnie at this age, except her eyes were more like her father's.

Carlos softly knocked on the door. "I think we've found him."

Jay nodded and stood up. "Why don't you get dressed and then we'll have a talk about all the stuff you want for your birthday, okay?"

Jay guided the bouncing little girl out of the master bedroom and towards her own bedroom as he followed Carlos down the hall. They walked into the kitchen and focused on the laptop on the table. Carlos had been able to track Sian's phone using Sian's phone number.

"Are you sure it's him?" Jay asked, his voice rough with anger as his fingers curled into fists.

Ally was going to be waiting in line to get to Sian. He knew about Jaylian and never bothered to tell him. Jay may be a bit easier on Lonnie about this right now, but Sian was another matter. Jay's so-called friend knew how badly this breakup had affected him. Sian watched him spiral out of control many nights as Jay tried everything he could to get over Lonnie. Nothing worked and no girl could ever measure up to her.

 **Four Years Ago**

The music vibrated through the club. Tonight was Boy's Night Out and they were on the prowl. Jay, Sian, Carlos, Aziz, and Tyler hit the nightclub for the first time in a very long time. The boys were trying everything they could think of to get Jay in a better mood. He was rude to everyone, getting into fights over the littlest things, and constantly angry. Really, really angry. It needed to end.

"I'm getting a drink," Jay said as they walked over to the bar. He had already had several before they even left the apartment. He quickly downed one shot of whiskey and ordered another one.

"Jay, take it easy, man. How about you pace yourself? We just got here and you aren't a heavy drinker," Sian reminded his friend.

Jay slammed back the second shot and looked Sian dead in the eyes as he motioned for a third. He didn't care anymore. The best person in his life was gone and there was no way he could get her back. His life wasn't the same without Lonnie.

The small blonde watched Jay and smirked. She saw that he was upset and getting very drunk very quickly. Riley knew this was the perfect opportunity to get him to finally notice her. She walked over to the boys with a wide smile and slid her arms around Jay's waist.

"Jay!" She yelled over the loud music. "I was hoping you'd show up tonight. Come dance with me." She grabbed his hand and dragged him onto the dancefloor before he could respond. She ground her body against his as he held himself up by resting his hands on her hips.

Sian shook his head and turned to Tyler. This was not going well. "Call Carlos. We need to get him home before there's any serious damage done that Jay will regret when he's sober."

The two men nodded but froze as he looked past Sian.

"Too late," said Tyler.

Sian frowned at his friend's reaction and quickly turned around to see his sister standing just a few feet away, her eyes welling up as she stared in disbelief at the dance floor. Sian was at her side in an instant.

"Lonnie, what are you doing here?" Sian hoped to buy some time to get Jay away from Riley so Lonnie could talk to him, but it was too late. The damage had been done. Her tears were already falling. "Lonnie, she only asked him for a dance. He's drunk, Lon. He isn't thinking straight right now."

"You told me that I needed to tell him. You said he misses me and wants me back!" Lonnie screamed over the music. "That doesn't look like he misses me, Sian. He's moved on."

Lonnie motioned to the man in question just as Riley glanced over. She sneered at Lonnie and wrapped herself around Jay, then tugged on his neck and brought Jay's lips to hers. Riley would get her man one way or another.

Lonnie's breath hitched as she turned around and raced out of the nightclub and into the night. She couldn't bear to stick around and see anything else.

Sian cursed under his breath. Lonnie was supposed to confront Jay and tell him about the baby. This was not going according to plan. "Get Riley off of him and get him home," Sian yelled to Tyler. "I've got to find Lonnie."

 **Present**

The knock on the front door got everyone's attention. Jay walked over and opened it, giving a sad smile to the women as they walked in. It took a moment for them to enter the home before Jaylian peeked out of her bedroom and spotted a familiar face.

"Aunty Jane!" The half-naked girl grinned and ran over to Jane. Jay and Carlos both froze.

Jay's expression hardened as his eyes met Jane's Jay swallowed hard. He had a sickening feeling growing in his stomach. Jay glared at Jane, then turned to Carlos and searched his friend's face. Carlos shook his head. He didn't know about the child.

"You knew," Jay growled, causing Jane to step back. "Who else in this room knew and didn't bother to tell me?"

"It wasn't my place, Jay. It was Lonnie's decision. I can't blame her after what she…" Jane stopped herself before she crossed a line. She had no idea what Jay did or did not know.

"After she what, Jane?" Jay wasn't handling this well at all.

"Jay, cool down, man. Your kid's right there watching you." Tyler softly reminded him. Jay looked down and saw the little girl cowering behind Jane's legs with fear in her eyes.

Jay didn't want his child to ever look at him that way; the same way he used to look at Jafar when he was growing up, always full of fear. He took a few deep breaths and knelt down to her level. He kept his voice gentle and calm as he spoke. "You've got to finish getting dressed, pumpkin."

"But I need help," Jaylian whimpered.

"I'll be there in a minute to help you, okay sweetie?" Jane said. "You go pick out your clothes for today."

The little girl nodded and scurried back to her bedroom.

Jay tried to reel his anger back in. "Tell me fast, Jane."

"She went back once to tell you, about a month after she had Jaylian. You guys had gone out and she wanted to surprise you, so she called me over to babysit. Jay, you were drunk and from what she said, all over Riley. It broke her heart to see you had moved on.

Jay felt like he had been punched in the gut and literally stumbled backwards. Tyler grabbed him and got him into a chair. The poor guy had been through a lot since three that morning. Jay rubbed his face. Lonnie came to him, but he never knew. Tyler shook his head. He knew exactly what Jane was talking about.

"He wasn't all over her," Tyler explained. "Jay was drunk and yeah, dancing with Riley was a mistake, but he pushed her off as soon as she kissed him. Lonnie didn't stick around to see him flip out on her."

"Wait, you knew she was there and you never told me? What the hell, Tyler?!" Jay stood up and pushed him in the chest once, then once again pushing him into the kitchen counter. Jay was more than ready to hit something now. His voice got louder and louder as he grew more frustrated with the knowledge that everything bad that happened in the last five years could have been avoided. "I could have had Lonnie and my kid years ago and no one bothered to tell me!"

"I didn't know about the kid, Jay!" Tyler yelled back, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration. He didn't like not telling Jay, but it had been made clear that he was not to say anything. "I thought Sian would have told you, but he said not to say anything. He said Lonnie had to make the call. It was up to her, not us."

Jay clenched his hands into trembling fists as he struggled for some strength to not hit someone or something. When was Lonnie back and why did she not come right to him? He honestly didn't even remember the night Jane and Tyler were talking about. Over the last five years, Jay has spent many miserable nights in a drunken haze trying to get over Lonnie. Yeah, Riley has tried time and time again to get together with him, but he never wanted Riley and never has. He turned her away constantly. No girl can ever touch what he feels for Lonnie.

 **Four Years Ago**

Lonnie was just settling Jaylian down for bed when the phone rang. She frowned at the screen as she didn't recognize the number, but she saw that the area code was from Auradon City so she figured it was her brother. She started talking immediately when she answered. "I'm putting her to bed, Sian. I can't talk right now."

"Good, then you can just listen like a good girl." Riley hissed into the phone.

"Who is this?" Lonnie set the baby up on her shoulder and held her against her chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? It's Riley. How are you, Lonnie? I saw you the other night at the club. Too bad Jay didn't. He was a little occupied with me." Riley pushed the knife deep into Lonnie's heart and twisted it.

Lonnie closed her eyes and swallowed hard. All she could think about for the past two days was the memory of Jay dancing with and kissing Riley. "What do you want?"

"Oh, not much. Just for you to stay away from Auradon and never come back here. Jay is mine now. You lose, I win." Riley hung up the phone. There was no way she was ever going to let Lonnie get in her way again.

 **Present**

The tug on Jay's shirt got his attention. He looked into the big brown eyes of his now fully-clothed daughter and felt his heart, and all of his anger, melt. Jay knelt down to her level. He smiled softly into the girl's bright, curious eyes,, then glanced up at the woman behind her. Lonnie was tousled, exhausted, and confused by all the commotion. She woke up when she heard Jay yelling. She knew he would be upset, she just didn't know how bad it would be.

Jay tried to focus. Lonnie saw him kissing and dancing with Riley, but she didn't know the whole story. She was hurt, and that's on him for letting it happen. Guilt started to creep in along with anger, frustration, and exhaustion. It wasn't a good combination. Jay closed his eyes and sighed. He tried again to focus on his little girl.

"What's up, pumpkin?" Jay tried very hard to hide the anger he was feeling. None of this was her fault.

Jaylian looked up at her mother, then cupped Jay's face. "Are you my Daddy?"

 **I decided to omit the bit about Jay punching and breaking the wall because I read somewhere that breaking/hitting inanimate objects during arguments can be a red flag flag for domestic violence, and those of us who have read the original story posted by Kellygirl46 know that Jay has been trying to learn how to deal with his anger in healthier ways. Also, I will not have Jay, Lonnie, and their sweet little girl living with that much fear.**

 **If someone you know is hitting or throwing things when upset (and they are older than the age of two), then leave that relationship, or at least confront that person and encourage them to get help and learn how to communicate and deal with their emotions in healthier and safer ways.**

 **If you are personally struggling with this, you can always message me privately, but I would still encourage you to**


	6. Send Him Home!

**Sorry for the long wait! I am studying on exchange in France next year, so I've been busy with my Visa application and figuring out what supporting documents I need, how to book an appointment at my local Consulate to submit the Visa, as well as scheduling check-ups and my driving test! I was also on an archaeological dig in Jordan for 6 weeks, and there wasn't enough privacy or reliable wifi for me to be able to write, but I got back home on Monday evening and have (mostly) recovered from jetlag, so hopefully I'll be able to write more often! If you want to learn more about this research project, check out**

**Thanks again to Disney for creating Descendants, to Kellygirl46 for allowing me to continue with her work, and to everyone who has been helping me come up with ideas for future fanfics! You guys rock!**

 **Without further ado,**

 **Chapter 6**

Lonnie covered her mouth as her breath hitched. Jay looked up at Lonnie and sighed. Was this really the right time to tell her? They hadn't talked about it. They hadn't talked much about anything yet. He wasn't going to waste any more time, though. Jay scooped up Jaylian in one arm and grabbed Lonnie's hand with the other. This was between them and them only right now. He quickly walked them out of the kitchen, down the hall, and into Lonnie's bedroom and slammed the door behind them.

"Sit down, pumpkin," Jay said softly as he set the child down and looked at Lonnie, who nodded slowly. They needed to tell Jaylian the truth sooner rather than later.

Jay guided Lonnie over and had her sit on the bed next to Jaylian. Jay knelt in front of his girls and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Reaching out, he took hold of Jaylian's hand. It was so tiny compared to his own. He struggled with the right way to say this.

"Yeah, kiddo. I'm your dad." Jay whispered softly. He had no idea how to handle this.

"I always wondered if you'd come back someday," Jaylian smiled up at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Jay searched Lonnie's face for something to tell him that he wasn't too late; anything that said she still wants him. Lonnie stared at him for a long moment, tears glistening in her eyes. She wanted him here for their daughter, but she was so sure he had moved on. The kiss they had shared last night was just for comfort. She was sure of that. Riley made it clear to her, Jay was with Riley now. Riley had made that message very clear over the past few years.

"Jaylian, Daddy and I have a lot we have to talk about. Daddy's here to help…" Lonnie didn't think about how she was going to explain their whole situation to Jaylian. The girl was too young to understand the concept of death.

"I'm here for your birthday, pumpkin. Then we'll see what happens." That would give him a week to mend things with Lonnie. Jay's anger was still just below the surface. He still had a lot of questions that needed to be answered before he could make any decisions.

"Yeah!" Jaylian squealed and lept off the bed and onto Jay. Her small arms wrapped tight around his neck. "Best birthday ever, Mama!"

"Damn!" Tyler growled as he sunk down into one of the chairs. He had never seen Jay this mad and he had been pretty mad for a long time over Lonnie. "Do you think he's calming down?"

"He doesn't want Jaylian to see him angry," Carlos explained. "Jay saw how scared she was and stopped yelling. He's beyond angry, but he's not gonna let her see that."

"Well, he can't contain his anger forever. Remember what he used to be like?" Jordan asked, thinking about how he had almost punched a hole in Lonnie's kitchen wall.

 **Seven Years Ago**

It was the first college part of the semester. Jay made Lonnie promise not to drink any alcohol while they were there. As adorable as Lonnie is when drunk, Jay didn't trust any of the guys at the party. He didn't know many of them very well yet, but he had overheard enough "locker room talk" to know how some of them treated women. He was not taking any chances.

The music blared loud enough to shake the large house. The beer kegs and shots were set up in strategic places inside and out. Bodies were grinding against each other on the makeshift dance floor, couples were heavily making out off to the sides, and some couples were even sneaking upstairs. Lonnie walked through with Jay's hand on hers, her wide eyes taking everything in. The parties at the castle in Auradon didn't come close to this wild event.

Jay eyed the crowd as they walked through and noticed how every guy in the room was looking at Lonnie. Their eyes burned and undressed her as she walked past. He tightened his hold on Lonnie's hand. They had only just arrived and Jay could already feel his temper rising. Lonnie is his and he does not like the way this evening was starting.

Lonnie waved to a girl across the room and tugged Jay over to the corner where this girl was. The small, perky blonde with a short pixie haircut waved and grinned at her. She had a seemingly innocent smile on her face, but the gleam in her big blue eyes was mischievous. Her short green dress shimmered in the light. Jay gave her a smile. She seemed friendly enough.

"Lonnie! You made it!" The blonde hugged her friend. "And you must be Jay! Hi! I'm Tessa, Tinkerbell's daughter. Lonnie talks about you all the time."

Jay nodded and smiled softly at her. She seemed really excited about something. He watched her chew on a piece of licorice and chuckled. There's nothing quite like a fairy on a sugar high. "Hey."

They talked about their classes and programs and learned that Tessa was also friends with Jane. Jay laughed softly as Tessa went on about fairies. He really hadn't developed a fondness or curiosity for the magical creatures until meeting Tessa. She was full of life and laughter and excitement. Tessa had a bit of a mischievous nature as she talked about some of the trouble she had caused and the pranks she had pulled. Her sense of humour reminded Jay of the banter between the guys back home in Auradon. He missed that.

Jay looked around the room and noticed a pale blond guy stare at Lonnie from across the room. His bright blue eyes followed her every move while they talked over the next hour. Jay clenched his hands and realized he was squeezing Lonnie's hand really tight. Lonnie looked up at him and frowned. Jay wasn't looking at her, so she followed his gaze to the guy who was attentively watching her from across the room.

"You did not tell me he was such a hottie! Lonnie, you're holding out on me girl." Tessa giggled. "Jay, are there any more guys like you in Auradon? I think I might need to move there."

Jay looked at Tess and smiled. From what Jay had heard at home and observed tonight, she had become a good friend to Lonnie. Jay was glad that Lonnie was feeling more comfortable here. He had made friends with the guys on the team, but he wasn't particularly close with any of them and hadn't been to one of their parties before. This party seemed a bit more Isle than Auradon Prep.

Lonnie laughed and nudged Tessa's ribs. "Well, I've got to keep _some_ things a secret," she chuckled. Tessa was constantly on the lookout for Mr. Right. Or at least, Mr. Right Now. Lonnie's skin prickled as she suddenly sensed Ethan's presence in the room and judging by the look on Jay's face, Jay was getting himself ready to defend his lady.

Ethan, son of Elsa of Arandell, was the epitome of Spoiled Princes. His favourite pastime was flaunting his wealth and flirting with other people's girlfriends. He was a handsome flirt who could not take no for an answer. Lonnie cringed at the sound of his voice and would go out of her way to avoid him. He hit on Lonnie every time he saw her, whether she was alone, with a friend, or with Jay. She rejected him every single time and was getting increasingly frustrated. Jay and Lonnie hated Ethan, and Ethan hated Jay.

Lonnie didn't need to turn around to know that Ethan was standing behind her. The look on Jay's face said it all. Ethan smirked at Jay and reached for Lonnie's available hand. Jay glared and felt his body brace. Tonight was going to end in a fight. Lonnie scowled and pulled her hand from Ethan's and immediately felt Jay pull her closer to him, his arm possessively wrapped around her shoulders.

"Ethan," Jay growled his name as a first warning.

"Jay," Ethan countered with a smirk and accepted Jay's implied challenge. "Lonnie, you look stunning tonight. May I interest you in a dance?"

"No, you may not, Ethan. We've talked about this. I'm not interested in you. Jay is my boyfriend and I'm here with him and my friend," Lonnie said sternly.

Ethan grinned at Jay. "I'm only after a dance, Lonnie."

"She said no. Do we really need to take this outside?" Jay growled and nudged Lonnie behind him.

Tessa's eyes grew wide at the exchange. "Would he really fight Ethan for you? Wow, this is so sexy," Tessa muttered to Lonnie.

"This is not sexy, Tessa!" Lonnie growled under her breath. _Okay, maybe it's a_ little _sexy when Jay's mad_ , Lonnie thought. _His voice deepens, growls, even, like it does when he's turned on. Something about him getting jealous and fighting for me is kind of hot, but no, Jay fighting is not sexy,_ Lonnie argued with herself. Jay has always been very protective over those closest to him, and it's terrifying to be on the receiving end of his temper.

Jay felt like his temper had been constantly raging ever since they met Ethan. They couldn't go anywhere without this creep showing up. Jay was getting annoyed with Ethan, who was constantly showing off everything he could do for Lonnie, knowing that Jay could never compete. Jealousy was an ugly green monster.

"Outside it is, then!" Ethan announced to the whole room, smiling and clapping his hands together. Ethan smirked at Lonnie. He had one last thing to say to her. "Damn, Lonnie! You really do look good enough to eat!"

Jay didn't make it outside. In one swift movement, he pushed Lonnie into Tessa and barreled into Ethan. Their fists flew at one another until a few Tourney players managed to pull Jay off of Ethan and into another room with Lonnie at their heels. Lonnie closed the door behind the other men as they left and turned to face Jay, who was standing at the opposite side of the room. His fist smashed a hole in the wall, scaring Lonnie half to death. Jay cringed when he saw the frightened look on Lonnie's face. He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands out of guilt. He looked almost as if he were praying for patience. His emotions were running hot right now. All Jay could see was red.

"Let's just go, Jay," Lonnie suggested. Jay sighed and shook his head. He couldn't be around her like this. He needed to calm himself down. He had already scared Lonnie once that night, the last thing he wanted to do was upset her more.

"I'm going for a walk. Go home, Lonnie. Please. I'll meet you at home." Lonnie slowly nodded as Jay guided her out of the house and into her car. He got her in and waited for her to drive off before he moved. Jay looked back and saw Ethan watching from the window. He just never learned that Jay's temper would always win.

 **Present**

Jane quietly walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Her hands shook in her lap. She twirled her diamond ring around her finger. She knew she had screwed things up with Carlos, and she had never seen Jay so angry. Carlos walked in and sat next to her. This was a huge secret that Jane had kept from him. He said nothing for a long moment as he struggled to figure out why Jane would keep so many secrets from him.

"You knew Lonnie had come for him," Carlos said quietly. "You knew he had a daughter and you said nothing. For five whole years?"

"I promised Lonnie," Jay whispered. "She saw Jay with Riley, and after the phone calls…"

Carlos whipped his head up. "What phone calls?"

Jane sighed. Everything would have to come out now, at least to her fiancé. She couldn't keep any more secrets from him. "Riley called Lonnie several times over the past few years, making sure Lonnie knew that Jay had moved on. She even… she sent Lonnie texts and emails with pictures of them together. Lonnie was convinced that Jay didn't want her. Tessa and I tried to convince her to at least tell Jay about his daughter, but we couldn't get her to listen."

"You never told, Jane. How are we supposed to get married next month with this between us? Is there anything else you've been keeping from me? Carlos was heartbroken. Why did Jane keep secrets from him?

Jay watched Jaylian happily run to her room and pull her toys out of the toybox. He sat down on the bed next to Lonnie and took her hand. Lonnie kept her eyes focused on her lap. So much was happening so fast. She was struggling to process everything, the good and the bad.

"I saw the news broadcast about your parents. I'm so sorry, Lonnie. Carlos has located Sian. Our friends will fetch him. And then we'll look for your mom." Jay tried to comfort her. "I know you're dealing with a lot right now. I'm not pushing, but you and I are going to have to talk about all of this real soon."

Lonnie could only nod. She heard the restrained anger and frustration in his voice and knew Jay was barely holding it all in. She owed him an explanation. Jay was Jaylian's father, he had every right to hate Lonnie right now. Lonnie was so emotional, she could barely get her words out. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing after… everything. I… I didn't want to screw up the life you were making there."

Jay didn't understand this. Yes, he did mess up. He understood his mistakes. The drinking and fighting for the past five years were all his fault, but he felt like there was a giant hole in this situation where missing information was supposed to be. Nothing was making any sense without that missing information. Why would Lonnie think that Jaylian would screw up his life? Yes, raising a child is a huge challenge, but Lonnie was single-parenting for the last five years. Wouldn't parenting be easier if they do it together?

Jay felt his frustration growing. Jane and Sian knew about the child. All of his friends knew that Lonnie had tried to visit him once. Who else did Jay trust who could have helped everyone? Lonnie didn't need him to be angry. If he had learned anything in his adult life, it was that his temper always got the best of him. He needed space to calm himself down. Jaylian had already looked at him with fear in her eyes. Jay did not want that to happen again.

"I'm going for a walk. I need to think. I'll be back, Lonnie. I promise." Jay gently lifted her face to look at him. "I will always come back for you."

Lonnie nodded and felt a tear slip down her cheek as Jay leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. Jay was certain of only one thing in that moment; that he had been given a second chance to have Lonnie and their daughter in his life. He wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers.

The rest of the day quietly dragged along for everyone. No one wanted to talk about what happened or what might be coming. The boys worked on searching for Mulan while making a plan to head out the next morning in search of Sian. They hoped that Jay's temper would cool down enough by then so they wouldn't have to break up a fight.

Ally and Jordan went grocery shopping for Lonnie. Whatever food Lonnie had in her kitchen would not be enough to feed the 8, possibly 9, people expected for dinner. Both women felt a bit left out of what was going on. Jordan, although she was friends with everyone and was dating Tyler, knew very little of the problems between Lonnie and Jay. She really preferred to keep it that way.

Ally, on the other hand, had been in the know of some things up until she and Sian broke things off six years ago. She knew that Lonnie and Jay had been arguing. Jay was not happy, and his misery was affecting everyone. Ally left Sian on what she felt were amicable terms. They maintained some contact with each other. They were polite and cordial, but underneath it all, the decision Sian had made still ate at her. If he had told the truth, Ally truly felt the misery between Jay and Lonnie never would have existed.

Carlos returned to his work. He was struggling with the knowledge that Jane, the girl he had been in love with since high school and was about to marry in one month, had kept something this big from him. He needed time to think. Jane tried to focus on Jaylian. She hadn't seen the girl in a while, so Jane decided to keep the little one busy so that Lonnie could think.

Lonnie stared out the front window and watched for Jay as the afternoon drew in. The sun floated across the sky and Lonnie began to fear that Jay wouldn't come back. She wondered if it had all just been too much for him. Jay had started over with Riley, so he probably needed to talk to her about it all. Lonnie just didn't know and no longer believed in what they once had. However, he did say he would be back. Lonnie knew she could trust him for that.

Ally and Jordan returned with the groceries and joined Jane and Jaylian, while the boys mulled around the kitchen, all of them waiting for Jay to return. Lonnie needed a distraction, so she began cooking by the late afternoon. She had a house full of people here to help her, the very least she could do was feed them.

Lonnie was chopping vegetables just as Jay returned with a large cup of take-out coffee in his hand. Lonnie didn't speak, but turned when he walked in and watched as Jay silently walked over to her. He set his drink down and softly kissed Lonnie's lips, then pausing before giving her a slower, deeper kiss and then returning to his coffee. All eyes were on them.

He said nothing, but leaned against the counter and stared listlessly at his coffee cup. Lonnie sighed and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. She knew he was exhausted and frustrated, but his temper was fading for the moment, so it was best to leave him be. One by one, everyone resumed what they had been doing.

Lonnie's phone buzzed on the counter as she returned her attention to the food on the stove. A new text message had come in. Lonnie looked down and read it before she looked up at Jay.

'Keep away from Jay!' it read. 'I'm warning you, send him home!'

 **Sorry again for the long wait, hopefully, I will be able to update more regularly.**

 **I hop you all are having a great summer so far!**


	7. A Long Road Back

**Salut from France! Sorry for the long hiatus. The last 2 weeks have been a bit hectic for me. Last week was the first week of classes. It was also when the Office of International Relations at my host school organized a bunch of soirées for foreign students. The week before that, I was focused on moving into my dorm, validating my visa, opening a bank account, etc… But now I'm back and will hopefully be able to update at least once a week.**

 **Without further ado,**

 **Chapter 7**

Lonnie picked up her phone. Her face paled as she read the message. Riley knew Jay was there. Lonnie assumed that he must have contacted her while he was gone. Her hands shook as she read the message again.

 _Send him home!_

But this was once his home. Her tears came again. She couldn't keep going through this.

Jay leaned against the counter, still staring vacantly at the drink in his hands. Lonnie's sniffle pulled him out of his thoughts. Looking over his shoulder, he saw her looking at her phone with tears rolling down her face. Immediately, Jay set his coffee down and slowly walked over to Lonnie, concerned that she was getting more bad news. Jay gently took the phone from Lonnie and read the message.

Lonnie didn't look up at Jay as he scrolled through the messages she had received over the last several years. There had been one sent every few weeks. Jay kept reading each one until he stopped at the first picture he came across. Jay glared at the photo. He remembered this moment, but this photo was out of context. What actually happened was nothing like what was shown on the screen. The photo looked intimate. Romantic, even. But what actually happened was sad and depressing.

 **One Year Ago**

Jay had walked out to the beach again. It was quiet and calm here. Jay really needed this. He was finally learning to control his temper and deal with his issues in much healthier ways. Going for walks worked best. He missed her so much. What he wouldn't do just to hear Lonnie's voice again. Or to hear her laugh, to hold her close. His eyes burned as the fist around his heart tightened. Jay hadn't figured out what went wrong between the two of them.

Riley and Melody had followed him since his apartment building. Riley had been making sure that Lonnie knew Jay's every move, but only from her point of view. Jay would be hers, but only if Lonnie was completely out of the picture and out of his mind. For four whole years, he was still holding on to the hope that Lonnie would come back to him. Riley was determined to make sure that would never happen.

She quietly walked over as Melody hid in the bushes, her camera ready to snap at the perfect moment. Riley sat down next to Jay and took his hand.

 _Snap_. The first picture was taken. Jay looked down at their hands and frowned.

"I know you're upset," Riley said softly. "I just wanna help you through whatever you're dealing with, Jay. I really do care about you."

Jay swallowed hard and stared back out at the water. "You can't help, Riley. There's only one person that can fix this, and I screwed up so badly, I lost her."

Riley sighed and looked over her shoulder at Melody. Scooting closer to Jay, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

 _Snap_. Another picture was taken.

Riley slid her hands up and cupped Jay's face, resting her forehead against his.

 _Snap._ Another picture. Leaning forward, she softly kissed Jay's lips.

 _Snap_. Another one.

"I'm here if you need me," Riley said softly, then got up and left Jay to his thoughts. An evil smirk graced her lips as she walked to Melody and began heading home. "Did you get it"

"Oh yeah." Melody smiled. "Lonnie will hate him before you're done."

"That's the idea." Riley laughed as she sent the first picture. Jay and Lonnie will never get back together if she had any say in it.

 **Present**

The texts he read through were bad enough, but the pictures told a story that wasn't true. He remembered that encounter, but not like this. He was upset and missing Lonnie. These pictures showed and intimacy with Riley that wasn't there, and it looked really bad. No wonder Lonnie was so hesitant to trust him.

"Who sent you these?" Jay asked. His anger was burning again. Lonnie felt her hear crumbling apart. "Lonnie? Who sent you these?" He had a feeling that he already knew the answer to his question.

"Riley," Lonnie said softly.

The whole group stopped what they were doing and converged in the kitchen. Ally and Jordan sat at the table while Tyler stood behind them with Aziz. Carlos and Jane stayed at opposite ends of the room. The connection between them was now very strained. Jane cautiously moved away from the doorway.

"You got another one?" Jane asked softly and she walked towards Lonnie. She was one of the very few people Lonnie had told about Riley. Lonnie nodded her head as she rubbed her temples. Jane reached over and gently rubbed Lonnie's arm.

"How long have you been getting these?" Jay asked as the missing pieces to this puzzle started to fall into place.

"Since… I went to see you once. About a month after Jaylian was born. Sian said you were having problems and that I needed to bring you home. Jane watched Jaylian for the night and told me where to find you. I went, but… Lonnie struggled to get her words out. The image was still so clear in her mind.

Jay rubbed his face. "The night you just told me about?" Jay asked Tyler, and Tyler nodded. "You saw Riley dancing with me. Lonnie, I was drunk out of my mind. I don't even remember that night."

"You kissed her. I saw it and left," Lonnie began to cry again. This pain just seemed to be neverending.

"But you didn't see him push her off, Lonnie. Jay chewed Riley out in front of everyone for that shit she pulled. We took him home to sleep it off right after. You missed that part, Lonnie."Tyler explained.

Jaylian pushed her way through the maze of legs and went to her mom. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she held Lonnie tight. Jay and Lonnie both looked down at the little girl. She didn't need to hear all this. Lonnie reached down and picked Jaylian up and held her.

"Don't cry, Mama. Daddy said he would make it better," Jaylian said against Lonnie's shoulder.

"I'm going to, pumpkin. Mama just has to trust me again. Sometimes that's hard." Jay stepped into them and wrapped them both into his arms.

He looked around at his friends and nodded at them. They were all affected by this. We all need to talk about this. Whatever everyone knows needs to be laid on the table tonight. Understood?" Everyone agreed. It was time for the whole truth to be uncovered.

They helped Lonnie put dinner together and then gathered around the table. They ate in mostly silence as Jaylian's voice lightened the tension in the room. She proceeded to tell them anything and everything that came to her mind. She started with an argument that two of her stuffed toys were having, then changed the topic of conversation to what she wanted for her birthday and the cake that Lonnie had promised to make for her.

"... and Daddy gave me breakfast this morning, Mama!" She was very animated and excited and had a mischievous grin on her face. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Lonnie looked over Jaylian's head at Jay. He didn't know how to cook when they were together, and as far as Lonnie was aware, he never learned how. "He did? What did you have?"

Jay slid down a little in his seat. Jaylian grinned happily. "A big, huge piece of chocolate cake. It was so good, Mama. Daddy said that it has all the 'gredients of a healfy meal."

Lonnie raised her eyebrows at Jay. Her mouth opened to say something while their friends tried in vain to hide their laughter. Jay turned and looked down at his daughter sitting next to him who had just thrown him under the bus.

"Thanks for blaming me, kiddo," Jay muttered, knowing that Lonnie wasn't going to like this, judging by the look on her face.

"Oh Jay, bad move, dude," Aziz muttered as Tyler elbowed him in the ribs. "I think we can find and extra room at the hotel for ya, man."

"Nah, he's got a nice comfy couch here with his name on it. Cause judging by the look on Lonnie's face, he ain't sleeping with her." Tyler added as the laughter grew.

Lonnie couldn't help but smile a little. It was so nice to have her friends around her again. She had missed hearing them razz each other and laugh. Jay looked at her and felt it, too. That light that Lonnie used to have in her eyes flickered back to life for just a moment. For just a moment, the pain she was dealing with wasn't in her eyes.

"You're staying for my birthday, right Daddy?" Jaylian asked, her eyes big and hopeful as she looked up at her father, who nodded.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, pumpkin." Jay smiled at his daughter. He wasn't going anywhere ever again without his family. Somehow, they were going to work this mess out. "Kiddo, maybe you should get ready for bed before you get me in more trouble with mom.

"Your dad's right, baby. It's after eight. Bedtime." Lonnie got up to get her daughter ready for bed.

Jaylian went around the table, wishing goodnight to everyone. When Jaylian got to Jay, she flung herself into his arms.

"Sweet dreams, pumpkin." Jay planted a kiss on top of his daughter's head.

"I love you, Daddy," Jaylian said in his ear before she ran off into her bedroom. Lonnie stared at Jay for a moment with tears slipping down her cheek as Jay stared back at her. For that brief second, it was almost as if they were a family.

Once Jaylian was tucked into bed, the conversation turned serious and the tension returned. Jordan and Ally helped Lonnie clean up the dishes while they quietly talked about what everyone knew. Together, they began the painful trip down memory lane as they each recalled how everything crumbled.

"Sian saw how miserable you both were." Ally broke the tense silence. It really started with her and Sian, anyways. It wasn't just Jay and Lonnie's relationship that was affected by the events. "He felt like he needed to do something, anything, to make it better. That was when he talked to Ben about the job. Ben had offered it to Sian first since Jay wasn't living in Auradon City at the time, but Sina thought that if you two came back, then he could help you."

"Wait, my job was actually for Sian?" Jay asked.

Ally nodded. "We argued over it for weeks. He was supposed to be Ben's trainer. We had planned… we were going to get married, but Sian decided he wanted to wait. He didn't feel that he could give me what I wanted without the job. Int the end… we split up." That revelation hung in the air.

"And I had just gotten a new job at the academy. One of the gym teachers left to have a baby and be with her family, so I was asked to take her place. This also meant that I was guaranteed a job after I finished my degree," Lonnie added in. Jay frowned. He didn't remember that. "I never got the chance to tell you. When I got home, you were packing up and ready to leave this town and leave me. I couldn't just forget my dreams to teach, so I stayed, hoping you'd come back."

"Jay sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You never told me. Lonnie, if I had known…"

"You were too excited about your new job. I couldn't take that away from you. You were so mad when you left, I thought I'd just wait until you calmed down." Lonnie spoke softly as she watched Jay look so sadly at her. So much could have been different if they had just talked a bit more openly with each other.

"You were long gone by the time I found out I was pregnant. Sian told me how happy you were with your new job, but you never called me. I figured you were still mad or… you decided you were better off." Lonnie looked at her lap. It's not like she wasn't to blame here either.

"I wasn't mad, Lonnie. I was frustrated There was so much that I wanted to give you, but I couldn't. I constantly caught crap about being who I am. I couldn't catch a break. Not to mention, the number of princes that kept asking you out. Especially that fucking Ethan. He never let up." Jay tried to keep his voice soft enough that he wouldn't disturb Jaylian, but his irritation and frustration were still very evident.

"So, enter Riley into the picture," Jordan added. "The Snob Girls never let up, and it was only a matter of time before one of them would wear you down enough to jump at the chance to land you." 

Lonnie cringed. All this drama went back to high school. Jay reached over and grabbed her hand. He scooted his chair closer, he wrapped his arm around Lonnit's shoulders and pulled her against his chest. He wasn't going to let her go again.

"By then, I was pregnant with Jaylian and asked Sian not to say anything. I didn't know how to tell you or how you'd react." Lonnie took a shaky breath. "You were willing to walk away from me. You wanted this job more than you wanted me. I figured you wouldn't want a child, too."

"I didn't walk away, I took the job for us. I told you to call me when you were ready to come with me. You never called." Jay was starting to get more upset. He got up and paced around the kitchen. "You didn't even give me a chance. I thought I had lost you for good. I was such a mess, Lonnie."

"And that's when Sian convinced me to come to get you. He said you were a wreck and were drinking heavily. I had just had Jaylian a month earlier, so I called Jane to help me. She told me where you were and watched the baby for me. After I saw you at the club… I left the first thing the next morning. I couldn't watch that."

Jay rubbed his face. That one was on him. He was at his lowest point that night and could honestly say that it took several months before things got any better for him. There were plenty of other nights like that one that he didn't remember what happened, but he had been at home alone on those occasions and refused to see anyone.

"I was studying in my bottle one day when Riley and Melody came into the dorm. They were talking really loudly and Riley was really proud of what she had done that night at the club. She said Lonnie looked, well, devastated. I told Sian, too, but he said it had to be Lonnie's call. Sorry." Jordan looked down and Tyler took her hand.

"We all wanted to step in, guys. At one point or another, we all had a choice," Tyler said. "I was also told that it was Lonnie's call to make when I tried to talk to Sian about what happened at the club."

"Ever since Riley found out that Jay was single again, she's been sending me texts, emails, photos… she's even called me a couple of times, telling me to never come back and that you had moved on with her. And I believed her, and based on what I saw in those pictures, I didn't know not to. I didn't think you wanted me anymore." Lonnie looked at Jay and saw his heartbreak. She didn't believe in them anymore because of Riley and her mind games. Jay locked his anger down. He wouldn't throw a fit because Jaylian was sleeping only a few metres away, but he couldn't hide how hurt he was.

After that, the group decided to call it a night. Each one of them was emotionally drained from the conversation and exhausted from the travel. The boys planned their trip to get Sian for the first thing that morning while Carlos and the girls would continue to search for Mulan.

Now that almost everything was out in the open, they could focus on their search. Although, the healing process just beginning for them. So much was still very raw. Lonnie went to check on Jaylian, while Jay ushered everyone out. It was time for him to have his family alone for the night.

Lonnie was sitting on the edge of her bed, trying to find her next burst of energy to keep going, when Jay walked in. He watched her for a moment before he crossed to his side of the room, set his bag down by the bed, and began getting undressed. Lonnie looked up and felt her breath catch. No matter how many times she saw his body, no matter how long it had been, she was always in awe. Those butterflies in her stomach took flight each and every time. Her eyes travelled over his bare chest, down those tightly corded muscles of his torso and abs to where his boxers rested low on his hips as Jay removed his pants.

"Wh… what are you… doing?" Lonnie stuttered at the heavenly sight before her. She had forgotten just how much he could make her body tingle just by looking at him.

"I'm going to bed." Jay saw the blush in her cheeks and the glazed look in her eyes. He watched as she licked her lips and swallowed hard. Her breathing grew ragged and her chest reddened. _I've still got it,_ Jay thought to himself.

"In here?" Lonnie asked. "I thought you would go to the hotel with the others."

"Why would I do that" Jay smirked. He knew just how badly she wanted to get her hands on him. "I have a perfectly good bed right here. I did buy it."

Lonnie nodded slowly. He paid for the mattress, too. She bit down on her lip and sighed softly as Jay turned around and bent over his bag. She couldn't help but admire his assets. Jay had kept in great shape. Lonnie heard herself moan softly when he stood up and stretched. He was still just as gorgeous. Her body hummed with the electricity that seemed to hum between them.

Jay crawled unto the bed and tucked his hand under his head. The sexiest smirk he could muster returned to his face as he watched Lonnie get more flustered. "Are you gonna change, or just strip? I'm good with you naked, figured I'd get you that way sooner or later. Sooner works for me."

Lonnie opened her mouth to say something, but no words came. She was flustered and horny, and on top of all that, the past few days had been such an emotional rollercoaster for her with little to no sleep. Her stomach just kept on flipping. The room had suddenly just gotten several degrees warmer. She hadn't felt these urges since before he had left. Lonnie could feel her body burning up. She could only nod as she went into the bathroom. Jay chuckled as she closed the door. He enjoyed the idea that he could still leave her hot and flustered.

Lonnie leaned over the sink and scrubbed her face with cold water. She needed to calm down. They were just going to sleep. That's it. It's not like they've never shared a bed before but that was years ago and Lonnie didn't expect all of those old desires to suddenly reappear. She closed her eyes and remembered what Jay used to do to her. The boy had such a talented mouth and his tongue, she shivered and felt the heat inside her rise even more.

"You okay in there?" Jay called out to her. "You need some help?"

"I'm good." Lonnie could barely squeak the words out.

Her nerves were certainly dancing all over the place. Lonnie paused at the door when she realized what she was wearing as pyjamas. Jay's old black t-shirt which came down to the top of her thighs, and a pair of pink booty shorts. _Does this say 'pathetically waiting for you all these years'?_ Lonnie wondered. She rolled her eyes at herself. She had nothing else on hand she could throw on, so this was it.

Jay felt his breath catch as he watched her open the door. He recognized that shirt. She had never looked sexier than she did at that moment. Lonnie walked over and crawled into her side of the bed and turned out the light. She could hear his breathing mixed in with her own. Both of them were struggling to get their footing here.

Jay rolled to his side and faced her as Lonnie mirrored his position. Without saying a word, they just laid in the dark, watching each other. The need to touch was so high, it was painful to hold back. Jay reached out and took hold of her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. It was going to be a long and difficult time, but Jay was willing to do whatever it takes to win her heart back.


	8. Author's Note

Another note

I have some challenging news. I had to get a new phone, and because Kellygirl46 deleted her account, I cannot find nor download her stories onto my new phone, which will make writing more difficult.

Fear not! I will do my best to type up as much of the remaining stories as I possibly can. The only challenge is that my old phone keeps on freezing and shutting down every few minutes. I cannot promise that I will repost every single story that Kellygirl46 ever wrote, but I will do my best.

Kelly, if you ever read this: I hope and pray that you are doing well. It would really mean a lot if you could try to contact me and send me the documents of your old stories so that I can continue your legacy. I know that the last time we talked, I did not want you to send me your documents, but I need them know. This would mean a lot to me and our readers


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